Blockbuster
by Ms.GrahamCracker
Summary: Don and Charlie teach two award-winning brothers a thing or two about acting.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: Nothing but the storyline and original characters belong to me – besides, with a husband, my mother, an unemployed son, five cats and two dogs all under one roof, I don't think there would be room for the Eppes anyway. Drat.**

**Warnings; none **

**Spoilers; Under Pressure, Toxin, Two Daughters, Ultimatum**

**A/N #1: This started out as a short one shot and ended up over 13,000 words! Thanks to some great advice from 1st endeavor and ALEO it will be presented as four chapters with a prologue and an epilogue. Hope you enjoy this little bit of fun, with a little action, a little angst and some brotherly bonding.**

**A/N#2: This takes place sometime between mid-season five to mid-season six. (after Charlie's clearance was returned and before he accepted Cambridge's visiting professorship). And, yes, at times, Don and Charlie are out of character – but, that's the point. **

**Summary: Don and Charlie teach two award-winning brothers a thing or two about acting.**

**Blockbuster**

**~ by MsGrahamCracker ~**

**Prologue -**

The elevator doors slid open with a muted _whoosh_ onto the eleventh floor of the Los Angeles FBI building and Special Agent Don Eppes stepped out into the plush corridor. Unlike the noisy and active cubicle atmosphere of the bull pen where he and his team worked, the eleventh floor exuded a calmer ambiance, no less efficient in it's functions, but more directed and isolated. The offices here were separate, where department heads and managers worked behind closed doors to fight crime with memos and directives and legislation instead of weapons and foot chases. Don much preferred the action and excitement of the bullpen and field work.

He turned down a familiar hallway towards the office of the Assistant Director, Philip Wright. It was not unusual for him to be summoned to his supervisor's office; budget meetings, performance reviews, case updates and the occasional ass-chewing all conspired to place him walking this hallway more often than he liked. What was unusual was the fact that the director had requested this meeting before office hours Thursday morning, well before Don or any of his team would have normally been there. Even more unusual, and more than a little disconcerting, was the fact that Wright had asked Don to bring Charlie along, as well.

His brother walked quietly beside him, a nearly palpable nervous energy radiating from him as they approached the director's office. The recent investigation involving his security clearance, followed by several intense meetings with Agent Carl McGowan, who also inhabited an office on the eleventh floor, had left Charlie similarly trepidatious. Don wished he could ease Charlie's anxiety, but the truth was this scenario was so out of the norm, he himself was a tad apprehensive.

He had had no problem with Philip Wright since he had been appointed director a few years ago. Don had found him to be professional and fair with the agents under him, and ruthless in dealing with the criminals. He was nowhere near as arrogant and self-serving as Walter Merrick had been before him. The struggle to get Charlie's security clearance reinstated, though, had left Don a little sour towards the bureaucracy and he had to remind himself Wright had actually lobbied in favor for both of them. The vacant secretary's desk outside Wright's office, however, added to the ominous feeling that had settled in Don's stomach, reminding him that he and Charlie were there at 6am for a reason - and he had no idea what it was. Don gave his brother a grim smile that fell short of reassurance and raised his hand to knock on the door.

The door opened before his knuckles connected with the polished wood and Philip Wright greeted the Eppes brothers with a curt nod, gesturing for them to enter the office. Silently, the large black man motioned towards two rich, burgundy leather armchairs, separated by a elaborate French Walnut inlaid occasional table. Exchanging a nervous glance with each other, Don and Charlie sat down.

"I appreciate your willingness to meet with me at this ungodly hour, gentlemen. Coffee?"

Both Don and Charlie declined and the director started for the opulent leather chair behind his desk, then, apparently thought twice about it and leaned back against the desk, resting his hip against the heavily varnished and polished antique. He folded his arms across his chest, then immediately let them fall again to each side, tenting both hands on the desk surface on either side of his hips. One hand raised then, to his jacket pocket, where he pulled a handkerchief out and wiped it across his brow.

Wright's nervousness was so obvious Don almost felt sorry for him. The agent shared a quick, puzzled look with his brother, then turned his eyes back to his supervisor. "Is there something you needed, director?"

Wright decided, somewhat impulsively, that he preferred the chair after all and moved quickly around the desk, lowering himself into the over-sized seat. A full ten seconds passed before he spoke.

"I've never believed in nepotism," he stated, his voice firm, his manner suddenly brusque and business-like. "Wretched policy. A man should make his own way, earn his own place, not by sailing by on the coat-tails of his father or grandfather ... or uncle."

More confused than ever, Don and Charlie, once again, exchanged bewildered looks.

Wright spoke again. "I find myself in the undesirable position of needing assistance, and I'll admit I'm rather uncomfortable with the idea**." **As he spoke again, his manner became perturbed and exasperated. "My younger sister's only son, my nephew, Martin, has aspirations of becoming the next Steven Spielburg. He graduated from some film academy in the valley a few years ago, but he's 32 now and doesn't have much to show for himself. He's directed several low-budget movies with a modicum of success – horrible things in my opinion, all some ghastly monster-of-the-month nonsense - still, the motion picture industry is rather forgiving. I don't know much about the politics in Hollywood, but somehow, a promising project has fallen into his lap. He swears it will be the next big blockbuster. The producer has already signed on a top screenwriter and one of the best stunt coordinators in the business. The movie apparently has quite a bit of action and two of the biggest stars in the industry, and for some reason Martin has been asked to direct it."

Don and Charlie sat quietly, not sure if a response was needed or expected, and when none was offered, Wright continued.

"If this movie is as big a success as everyone seems to think it will be, it will go a long way towards establishing Martin as a credible director." Wright took a deep breath and let it out slowly."Not only that, it will get him out of my sister's basement and into a place of his own."

Still not sure how this affected them Don and Charlie both nodded slightly and remained quiet.

"The problem seems to be the two stars, Jordan and Alex Boudine."

Both Don and Charlie had heard of the Boudine brothers; young, talented, successful actors with multiple People's Choice and Golden Globe awards between them. Three years ago, in his first staring role, Alex Boudine had won an Oscar for his portrayal of a young man tormented by his inner demons in a motion picture where his older brother, Jordan, had played the part of the psychiatrist who tried to help him. Both men were single and considered two of Hollywood's most eligible bachelors and often traded places on magazine covers as the sexiest man alive**. **

Finally finding his voice, Don asked, "What's the problem?"

"Well, apparently the two of them don't get along that well - something about only one of the getting an award on the last movie they made together - and Martin is afraid that the animosity will project on the screen. They already have their agents demanding their trailers should be on opposite sides of the set so they don't have to see each other between scenes. What he is hoping is that if he can bring a certain realism to the film – a true and accurate depiction of the main characters – that it will override the dissension between the two of them. They _are_ both, after all, talented actors. They can, at the very least, _act_ like they like each other."

Charlie shifted slightly in his chair. He remembered a few months ago, he and Amita had stayed up long after his father had gone to bed grading mid-term papers and watching David Letterman. Both Boudine brothers were guests that night, apparently unwilling victims of a manipulative producer. They had both sat, sullen and cross, avoiding each other until Alex's Oscar win was mentioned. Jordan's angry remark had been bleeped out and he stalked off-stage. Charlie had laughed at what seemed, at the time, to be an intentional ploy for publicity for the Boudines and a ratings coup for Letterman, but . . . maybe, there was more to it than that. He cleared his throat and scooted forward in his seat. " Excuse me, sir, but, why are we here?"

Wright sighed deeply, some of his earlier discomfort returning. "It's the movie, itself. I believe it's called "Field Trip" or something like that. It centers around an agent for Homeland Security who is tracking a terrorist in America. During the course of the movie he encounters a high school math teacher and his students who are on a field trip of some kind and apparently they help him track down the terrorist using math."

Charlie's eyebrows rose, disappearing beneath his curls that fell across his forehead and he glanced at his brother, whose wide-eyed, mouth agape expression told him he was similarly shocked.

Wright continued, quickly. "I was hoping – and rest assured, gentlemen, there is no pressure or obligation here - I was just hoping, that since this so closely parallels your own expertise and experience you could give them a true feel of the characters. The majority of the movie, I understand, has the agent, the teacher and the students tracking the suspect in some wooded area or forest. If you could take them under your wing, for just a weekend mind you, and show them how the agent would react to certain scenarios and how the math teacher might determine the most likely escape route."

Neither Eppes was able to articulate an intelligent response and Wright reluctantly sighed and played his last card. "It's just that the two of you work so well together, and . . . I would consider it a personal favor."

tbc


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: see Prologue**

**A/N; Wow, thanks so much for the reviews and alerts. I hope you enjoy this chapter.**

**Blockbuster**

**~ by MsGrahamCracker ~**

**Chapter One - **

It was early – very early – Saturday morning and Don and Charlie stood beside Don's Suburban in the parking lot at the ranger's station, near the trail head of Wooster State Park.

Charlie yawned and rubbed his hands together. They knew the day would be warm and had dressed accordingly, but at the moment, there was a definite hint of winter in the air and they both had their jackets on. Charlie shivered once and stuck both hands in his pockets.

Don was leaning back against the front of his vehicle, his hands similarly trying to stay warm in his pockets, as they waited for the Boudines. He was feeling good. There was nothing pressing at the office and he was looking forward to the weekend. It had been raining steadily for a few days now, but today was suppose to be sunny with minimal cloud cover. Unfortunately, the clouds would roll in by nightfall again and the rain would return, but they were prepared for it.

He glanced at his watch - 6:30 am. The Boudines would be here any minute. Don thought about the meeting with Wright two days ago. He and Charlie had discussed it at length that evening over a few beers – well, it was actually more than just a few beers. Initially, they had found the situation of two brothers who didn't get along slightly unsettling – it was too close to home. They had worked too hard, spent too many hours in therapy, talked out too many feelings of guilt and jealousy not to feel uncomfortable when their emotions might literally be thrust into a spotlight, but that night, they not only worked out some of their own feelings, they put together a game plan that they hoped would save both them and the Boudines.

Charlie nudged him out of his thoughts as two black limousines pulled into the parking area behind the ranger station. The drivers parked the vehicles at least thirty feet apart, then cut the engines. One back door on each limo opened and the two young actors stepped into the cool morning air. Both of them wore casual, hiking clothing, as instructed, but Don and Charlie nearly laughed at the obvious expense and premeditation that had been involved with the selection. The actors looked around, deliberately avoiding each other's eyes, scanning the parking lot and passing over both Don and Charlie and Don's SUV. Don saw the unmistakable disappointment and puzzlement in each of them and he realized with a start that they had been looking for paparazzi._ Did they expect this to be a freaking publicity stunt?_ Don bristled, his earlier good humor gone. Personal favor or not, he was not going to spend his weekend playing nursemaid to two spoiled, egotistical, truculent actors. A quick glance at Charlie told Don his brother was similarly put off by the two men's reaction.

Don studied them. Both of the Boudine brothers were tall, lean, bronzed and well-built; typical Hollywood idols. They were both in their early 30's and each of them stood at least an inch or two past 6ft, which meant they towered over Charlie and looked down slightly at Don. Jordan, the older by two years, wore his sand-colored hair a little longer than his sibling and had intense blue eyes that had caused many fans, female and male alike, to swoon. Alex was a little less "star-like" in his appearance than his brother, sporting a scruffy, un-shaven look and dark, brooding, bedroom eyes topped with a mass of perfectly tousled hair.

Once they were over the disappointment of no reporters or photographers, the Boudines glanced disdainfully at each other, then Jordan made the first move towards Don and Charlie.

"Good morning. I'm Jordan Boudine. Are you the Eppes?"

Don stepped forward, still slightly wary, offering his hand and shaking the young man's in return. "Special Agent Don Eppes. This is my brother, Dr. Charles Eppes. Don and Charlie are fine."

Alex was there by then and the four men greeted each other. Don didn't miss the fact that when Alex had approached, Jordan hadn't acknowledged or introduced him.

The introductions over, Don considered them again. Their earlier egocentric episode had diminished and both men seemed to be relaxing and slightly more comfortable. Don allowed that the press was an important and necessary aspect of their lives and it was natural for them to expect reporters to chronicle their hunt for realism for such an important role – but, acceptable or not, he had no intentions of subjecting himself or Charlie to their vain and narcissistic attitude for the next two days. His instinct, though, told him they weren't the "stars" they first appeared to be and that maybe they could all survive the weekend together. He was willing to try and he knew Charlie would follow his lead.

The two limo drivers appeared, each carrying an overstuffed backpack and placed them on the asphalt next to their employers.

"Ready for this?" Don asked, his eyes searching theirs for any signs of hesitation or doubt. Both brothers, however, leaned over, swung their packs on their backs and nodded.

"Alright, then. Charlie and I have mapped out a tentative route. The terrain along Flying Fox Trail is similar to what I assume you will be working in while filming; nothing too strenuous - that's not the point of this. Charlie and I will try to give you the instructions you need to understand your characters as we go. Tomorrow's route will be slightly more adventurous. We'll hike up to Red Mountain Pass, then double back following the river and be back here by early evening."

There were nods of agreement and understanding all around, then they turned and started walking. Don put Charlie in front, letting him set the pace, leading the Boudine brothers on a leisurely trek through the fading darkness while Don brought up the rear.

They walked quietly for the first hour or two, all of them just enjoying the cool morning air, then Jordan finally spoke. "Agent Eppes, er, Don, I thought you were going to give me some idea what my character would be doing. I mean, that's the reason Martin insisted on this little excursion, isn't it?"

Don stopped and called ahead to his brother. "Hey, Charlie, hold up."

Charlie stopped and both he and the Boudines lowered their heavy packs to the ground. Don, who had been waiting for this, removed his backpack and took his time digging a bottle of water from it. He tipped his head back and took a long, deliberate, slow drink. Screwing the lid back on the bottle, Don looked at Jordan and said, "Alright. Where are we?"

Jordan Boudine frowned. "What?"

"Where are we?" Don repeated. "How long have we been walking? What direction are we going in? Have there been any distinguishable landmarks that you've noticed? Is there a breeze and if so how does that affect us? Have you noticed any signs of dangerous wildlife? If you had to, could you find your way back to the main road?"

Jordan shook his head, his mouth agape, looking somewhat like a high school student who had just learned there would be a pop quiz. "I...I don't know," he stammered.

"Well, an agent would." Don said sharply, then adapted a calmer, teaching tone. "A good agent is aware of his surroundings at all times, no matter where he is. Danger can come from any direction, at any time, not just from terrorists or bank robbers. If you're prepared, there can't be any surprises."

Don watched the young actor glance helplessly at his brother and Charlie, as if he expected them to help him, then he turned back to Don. "What ... "

"Alright." Don began patiently. "We traveled north/northeast for 43 minutes. The last twenty minutes we've been heading due east. About a half a mile back we passed an outcropping where someone could have been hiding – either to escape discovery or to lie in wait for an ambush. There's a slight wind this morning coming from the southwest that could distribute our scent and carry any sound we make, even stepping on a twig. We need to stay ahead of that. There was some bear scat just off the trail we're on, but it indicated the bear was heading north towards the higher elevation where this time of year the berries are still ripe. We shouldn't run into him, but he's not the only one in these woods. We've pretty much stayed on the major trails, so returning to the main road should be easy enough, but the ground is covered with several heavy layers of wet leaves and we haven't left many discernible footprints - a good thing if you're being followed – but, heading back, you'd have to watch carefully that you didn't venture off on one of the smaller trails that branch away taking you deeper into the woods."

Both Jordan and Alex stared with incredulous expressions, mouth open, eyes wide at the agent with a mixture of astonishment and admiration that Don hadn't enjoyed since his days training the rookies at Quantico. Jordan suddenly smiled then, a brilliant Hollywood smile that was filled with excitement. "That's what I'm talking about!" he whooped. The man nearly danced with delight."Martin was right. This is just what I need. I'm going to make this character so real it's going to jump right off the screen. There's no way they can overlook this performance."

Don noticed Alex, watching, frowning, clearly unhappy with the situation. The agent turned back to Jordan, making sure he had the young man's attention and added, "It's all about focus - concentration."

Before Jordan could reply Alex leaned towards Charlie and snarked loud enough for everyone to hear, "I heard he had some trouble 'performing' behind the scenes with his last leading lady and she said the same thing."

His mood immediately dampened, Jordan scowled at his brother. "At least I had a leading lady. The only action you had in your last movie was with a race car – and even that was PG."

"Well," Alex replied, smoothly, undaunted, "I didn't have any 'action' in that movie I made with you, either, but, apparently the Academy didn't have a problem with that."

Jordan's scowl deepened and his eyes turned dark. He opened his mouth to retaliate, but Don signaled the break was over by repositioning his backpack on his shoulders and saying, "Let's go." As the Boudines gathered their packs again Don caught Charlie's eyes. _Game on. _His brother nodded and took the lead again.

Several hours later they stopped by a cool, rushing stream where they refilled their water bottles and ate a small snack.

Don was sitting on the ground, resting, leaning back against a large rock and Jordan chose a spot close by. Alex sat nearer to the stream, where Charlie lounged, enjoying an apple.

"Well, now that we know Jordan should be watching out for bear scat and what way the wind will blow his hair," Alex joked, "what about a math teacher. What part would he play in all of this?"

Charlie sat up, his eyes suddenly sparkling. "Oh, there's any number of mathematical applications that can be used in this situation. I once helped Don and an FBI sniper track down a fugitive in the wilderness very much like this using Soap Bubble Theory and Steiner Tree."

"Soap bubbles and what?" "Wait, you two work together?" Both Boudines voices rang at the same time.

Don shrugged and mumbled, "Sometimes."

"Sometimes?" Charlie snorted, derisively. "I help him on cases all the time, actually. Even though I teach at CalSci, consult for other agencies and try to find time to keep up with my own research, it seems I'm at the FBI offices more than my own."

"Well, it's not like you don't paid for what you do." Don stood up abruptly and tossed an empty wrapper into his pack. He turned, giving his brother a dark look. "And you can say no anytime you want to, you know. Hell, half the time you're there before we even call you – butting in like usual."

Charlie's voice remained normal in it's volume and pitch but it's tone was mocking, arrogant. "Well, if I didn't "butt-in", as you put it, your solve rate wouldn't be one of the highest in the bureau."

Both Boudine brothers glanced discreetly at each other, unsure of what exactly was happening as Don turned to Charlie once again and snapped, "I don't need you to do my job, Chuck. I can handle it just fine without you."

"Oh, yeah? Well, the numbers say differently. Your solve rate rose 12% the first year I started to help out and it has grown exponentially since then," he boasted.

Don took a few steps towards his brother. He glared down at him, intimidating and threatening. "My team has one of the highest solve rates in the bureau because they're damn good. We don't need some puppy dog mathematician nipping at our heels to make us look good. So you can just take your 12% and your soap bubbles and your stupid Steiner Tree and shove them ... "

"Hey, hey," Alex broke in, standing up quickly. He swallowed nervously and his eyes flitted uncomfortably between Don and Charlie. "Shouldn't we be going? I mean you said we had quite a ways to go, yet, right?"

Don snarled under his breath and glared at Charlie, who had the audacity to throw a smug look back at him. As he swung his backpack over his shoulders, Don noticed the _what's that all about? _look Jordan shot Alex's way, and the discreet, _beats me_ shrug that Alex sent back, but neither of them saw the slight upturn of Don's pouting lips as he stomped past Charlie, or the twinkle in the mathematician's eyes before he frowned and cast them down as his brother passed.

They walked quietly for a while, then, Charlie, still in the lead, suddenly left the main trail they were on, venturing onto a small, less traveled one.

"Hey," Don called. "I thought we were heading for Webster's Bluff. We need to stay on the same trail."

"No. This way is better."

"And who decided that?"

"I did. You put me in the lead and this route is not only shorter, the ground is more level here, easier to travel on, and we'll make better time. It's logical, Don. I thought even you would have seen that." The three men caught the thinly veiled contemptuous tone of Charlie's voice, and Jordan and Alex tensed slightly, waiting for Don's reply.

"Maybe logical, _little_ brother, but not too practical." There was a blatant condescending tone in Don's voice and manner, and he smirked, "We're pretty low here and with all of the rain we've had lately this area is more prone to flash floods. We're safer traveling the higher route. But, if you'd rather be logical . . . oh wait, let me guess, you have some magical mathematical equation that tells us what route is safer?"

Charlie glowered back, his dark brows forming a V above his eyes. "Fine," he snapped. "Fine. We'll go your way. You lead, then."

Don took them on a gradual climb, passing through Webster's Bluff by mid-afternoon. Charlie sulked most of the time while Don offered a few bits of information to Jordan and Alex about tracking down a suspect.

"Your character is an agent from Homeland Security, right?" Don asked. When Jordan nodded, Don snorted, shaking his head in a wry amused manner. "Hollyweird." he muttered. At Jordan's puzzled look, he explained. "Homeland Security is really an umbrella term for several different agencies, so your agent could actually be from the DOD, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Border Protection, the Coast Guard or even the Secret Service. ICE – the Immigration and Customs Enforcement – is the largest investigative department of Homeland, but it's not too often an agent from ICE would be actively tracking a terrorist. That usually falls to the FBI Counterterrorism Division, which works closely with Homeland and the Foreign Terrorist Tracking Task Force in such situations."

Jordan nodded, understanding Don's wry remarks, and shrugged. "So they played around with the facts a little. Does it change how the terrorist would be tracked?"

Shaking his head, Don answered, "No. Tracking is tracking, but you have to assume that he's been trained in survival and evasion techniques. Most of them are pretty serious about being prepared for their mission and there's not going to be tracks to follow or broken twigs to lead the way."

"It's a good thing Alex isn't playing the agent, then," Jordan's tone was both teasing and mocking. "He was so bad at hide and seek when we were little the other kids had to give him clues in order to find me."

Alex, a few steps behind his brother, glared angrily, but remained quiet.

"It helps if you know your suspect's intent," Don continued, "where he might be heading, what he plans to do. If your intel is good and you have an idea what his plans are, you're one step ahead of the game."

"Probability Theory would work, too." Charlie interrupted, finished with his brooding. "It's like tossing a coin in the air. That's a random event, and if repeated many times the sequence of random events will exhibit certain statistical patterns, which can be studied and predicted. Using known terrorist patterns as random events, you could predict where the suspect is likely to go next."

Don went on, ignoring his brother. "Successfully tracking another man is not just something you learn in specialized training. It's a skill that grows with each case, each time you hunt a suspect down. There's a lot you have to take into effect; does he know he's being followed - is he armed - is he familiar with the area - is he injured? It's like a game, but you have to control it. Again, knowledge is the key. If you know what your suspect is planning and where he's likely to head – you can anticipate his path and execute a predictive strike aimed at his destination."

"It's what we call pursuit evasion." Charlie tried again. "If your evader can find a way to outmaneuver you, he'll escape. But, you can gain an advantage over your opponent by changing the movement rules using variants, such as using tracking dogs, or air support or simply by changing the edge weight."

"Instinct is more important, though, than any rules of tracking," Don continued, as though Charlie had not even spoken. "You have to put yourself in your target's head; know him, what he's likely to do next. You have to anticipate his next move and outmaneuver him."

Tired of being ignored, Charlie cut in again, his voice scornful and sharp. "Or you could apply an overlapping search pattern to maximize the area covered, like the one I devised when Agent Reeves was kidnapped. Don and his team weren't getting anywhere – even _with_ instinct – but as soon as I gave them the Reeves Variation, they found her, no doubt saving her life."

Don stopped walking and turned on his brother, his eyes dark and angry. "We would have found her!"

"Correct me if I'm wrong, big brother," Charlie scoffed, "but wasn't time an intricate factor that day? Yes, you would have eventually found her, but, the way she was bleeding ... "

Don had him pinned to a tree before anyone could blink. "Listen, you little twerp. I've had enough..."

Jordan and Alex moved quickly, each grabbing one of Don's arms and pulling him away.

"What's with you two," Jordan demanded, breathless, looking at both Don and Charlie in turn.

Don shook off their hold, his hands held up and open in a_ back off, I'm okay_ gesture. Charlie took a few steps away from both the tree and his brother as they released him. "Nothing." Don muttered, his head down, his lips pursed and tight. "Nothing. It's alright. Let's just go."

Jordan and Alex held back, waiting for Don to take the lead again, and, for just an instant, while the Boudines exchanged a few mumbled words between themselves, Don reached forward to help his brother pull the heavy pack back into place on his shoulders. He hesitated, his fingers lingering at Charlie's elbow for a second and their eyes met; two sets of dark eyes searching for forgiveness, and both finding nothing but absolution, apology and conviction.

tbc


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: see Prologue**

**I'm delighted with the reviews. Thank you so much.**

**Blockbuster**

**~ by MsGrahamCracker ~**

**Chapter two -**

A few hours before sunset, they found a sheltered area close enough to the river and began to set up camp. Jordan and Alex had each brought their own individual tents and managed to set them up by themselves with little or no trouble. Don and Charlie had packed a large, multi-room tent and disagreed on everything from where to place it, to how deep the stakes should be driven into the ground, to who got which "room". It took nearly an hour of squabbling, along with several mathematical temper tantrums, to finish, during which time the Boudines went upstream together and managed to catch a few fish for dinner.

Jordan and Alex sat side by side in front of the campfire with Don tending to the fish on the makeshift grill and Charlie sitting across and away from Don.

"What if you're the one being tracked?" Jordan asked, breaking the uneasy silence.

Don swallowed, cleared his throat, then answered. "Some of the same basics of tracking can be applied to evasion. First off, don't panic. Assess your situation. Once again, knowledge is the key. How many pursuers are there? How close are they? Do they have dogs? Use the terrain to your advantage and mask your movement to cover your trail."

"What do you mean?"

"Maybe there's a cave or an area of dense bushes you could hide in. If they're too close, try climbing a tree as high as you can and be still. If you can manage to stay hidden you force them to break off pursuit and begin a new search. They can't chase you if they don't know where you are. On the other hand, if they have dogs, your chances of escape drop drastically."

Don took the fish off the fire and placed a filet on each of the four plates spread out in on the ground in front of him. Alex added several spoonfuls of beans to each plate while Jordan and Charlie finished off with bread and cutlery.

They ate in silence for a few minutes, enjoying both the fire and the food, then Alex turned to Don. "So, how long have you been working for the FBI?"

"About fifteen years."

"Right out of college?"

"No," Charlie answered quickly, before Don could. "He played minor league baseball for a couple of years. Couldn't hack it and became a fed instead."

Don's eyes narrowed but Jordan sidetracked him with another question. "You ever deal with terrorists before?"

Don nodded, using the last of his bread to sop up the remaining juices on his plate. "Unfortunately, yes."

The tone of Don's voice and the implication that there had been terrorist activity in Los Angeles made both Boudines sit up, their eyes wide, their mouths open. "Wait," Jordan stuttered, "was there a serious terrorist threat in LA?"

Don laid his plate on the ground in front of the fire and shot the brothers a piercing stare. "Yes," he said, "but I can't tell you about it. It's classified."

The standard government disclaimer rolled completely off Alex's head and he turned excitedly to Charlie. "Did you work with him on that case? Give me some insight on how a math teacher would look at it."

Charlie nodded. "I worked for days on the structure of that particular terrorist cell and eventually, using network analysis, I found the member who was responsible for obtaining the funding for the attack."

"Chaarrlieee. . ." Don warned, low and threatening.

Dauntless, Charlie turned again towards Alex and continued. "Then Don's team messed it up by revealing themselves as they followed him and the entire network changed."

"What do you mean?"

"A terrorist cell is what we call a distributive autonomous network – wherein all the members work independently of each other with no lateral communication. If this guy you're chasing in the movie is part of a cell, he'll only know what his particular mission is."

Seeing that Charlie had no intention of stopping, Don joined in. "Someone like McVeigh or, say, the Unabomber who both worked primarily alone would be different – they have their own agenda planned out."

"Obviously, you stopped them." Jordan said excitedly. "How? I mean, you don't have to give details or anything, but, with what, a little math magic or solid FBI work?"

Once again, Charlie spoke first. "Both, although it took a lot to convince Don to use what I gave him."

Don turned to his brother, righteous anger flaring in his eyes. "You used resources you should have never used; not sanctioned. You could have blown the whole thing."

"But, I didn't." Charlie argued, heatedly "Without the information we gave you, you wouldn't have discovered their plan in time to stop it, and you know it. You're just too damn stubborn to admit you couldn't do it alone."

When Don tossed his coffee cup towards the fire and started to stand up, Jordan once again tried to referee, afraid things might become physical. "You know, when Alex and I first read the script for "Field Trip" we thought it was a great idea and everything, but, we thought it was just a cool script. We never thought Homeland Security or the FBI actually used math consultants. I mean, who knew? It was like one of those creepy flashbacks where my high school math teacher is telling me how we use math in everything we do. And now, you guys are seriously telling us a terrorist threat was stopped because of, what, an equation or some weird calculus problem?"

Charlie was still agitated, still defensive, but he broke eye contact with Don and turned to Jordan and shook his head. "No, we knew what they planned to do, we just had a very short period of time in which to determine the most efficient and probable manner for them orchestrate their attack so we could stop it."

Alex was excited. "And then, what? I mean, you don't actually go out in the field, you know, to stop the bad guys, do you?"

Charlie looked at Don before he answered, but the agent remained still, looking into the fire, his hands clenched tightly in front of him.

"No," Charlie answered. "I give the FBI my predictions or results and they take it from there."

"Wow. That's got to be hard, huh? I mean, doing all that work and not being able to be part of the actual arrest."

Still looking at Don, Charlie said quietly, "Sometimes ... sometimes, the hardest part of using math to solve crimes is just getting someone to listen to you."

Don snorted, vehemently and derisive. "Yeah, well, sometimes the hardest part of working with a mathematician is putting up with the arrogant, narcissistic belief that you know everything and therefore everyone should bow down before you."

Charlie stood up, abruptly, and tossed his plate aside. "Whatever," he mumbled and turned away.

Jordan sighed, frustrated, and stood up. Alex joined him and they headed for their tents. Don sat alone in front of the fire until it burned out, then he spread the hot embers around and went to bed.

It rained through most of the night, stopping only a few hours before sunrise. The tents had held up and everyone had stayed relatively dry, but the dampness and general misery that accompanied it made everyone cranky and anxious to get going.

Don and Charlie had gathered enough wood the night before and covered it with a tarp to keep it dry. They used it to build a small fire and reheated the coffee left over from the night before. After chugging down the vile liquid Don turned to Charlie and groused, "I forgot why I don't sleep in the same room with you."

Looking tired and irritable himself, Charlie frowned. "What are you talking about?"

"If you weren't snoring you were talking math gibberish in your sleep."

"I was not."

"Oh, believe me, little brother, you were. I was just glad you didn't walk in your sleep again and write your stupid equations on the side of the tent like you did when you were a kid."

Don looked at Jordan, a pained expression covering his face as he recalled. "We used that tent for a couple years after that. It was weird, I tell you, trying to sleep with all those numbers everywhere you looked."

"I was seven." Charlie grumbled, defensively.

Jordan and Alex stepped away, uneasy at the thought of another argument between the Eppes this early. Quietly, they began drying their tents and equipment, getting ready to repack it and eventually Don and Charlie followed suit.

"Has anyone seen my pocket knife?" Don asked. He was frowning and patting each of his pockets.

"Oh, yeah" Charlie answered, reaching into his pants pocket and retrieving the knife. He handed it to Don. "I used it to cut the ropes around the tarp."

"Why didn't you use yours?"

"Yours is cooler," Charlie shrugged, "has more stuff."

"Damn it, Charlie. You're always getting into my things. Even when we were kids, you . . ."

"HEY," Alex's voice - loud, exasperated, desperate - stopped them. "Give it a rest, will ya?"

"Yeah, I don't think I can handle you two bickering again all day." Jordan added as he squeezed his remaining supplies into his backpack and zipped it closed.

Both Don and Charlie stopped what they were doing and looked first at the Boudines, then each other. Charlie arched his eyebrows and Don answered with a significant, barely perceptible wink. _Yeah,_ _It's time._

Don turned away from Charlie and took a few steps in Jordan's direction, his manner belligerent and confrontational. "Look who's talking, Mr.-walk-off-the-show-so-I-don't-have-to-talk-to-my-own-brother."

The unexpectedness of Don's redirected rant stunned Jordan, and at first, all he could do was open and close his mouth silently. Astonishment quickly turned to anger. "You don't know what you're talking about." he growled.

Don snorted a laugh. "Oh, I think I do. The younger brother gets the award, gets the attention, gets the publicity. Yeah, I know exactly what I'm talking about."

Both Charlie and Alex flinched, then Charlie, remembering himself, approached the two combatant older brothers. "We've read about you two," he said, stopping beside Don, " how you don't get along - how you resent Alex."

"Well, don't believe everything you read." Jordan snapped and tried to walk away.

Don planted himself in front of the elder Boudine. "You've been acting since you were 18 – then Alex comes along and in his very first starring role wins the big one. That had to sting a little. I mean, you probably coached him, helped him. And, then he stabbed you in the back. Besides that, the critics all agreed, your portrayal of the psychiatrist in that same movie was your best role, ever, only your little brother turned on you and practically stole the Oscar right out from under your nose. I'll tell you if Charlie ever did anything like that, I'd be furious. So, tell the truth, Alex winning the Oscar pissed you off, didn't it?"

"No!" Jordan's stance shifted and he went eye to eye with the agent. "It doesn't bother me because I know what he went through making that movie. You say you've read about us? Did you know that Alex spent _months_ studying mental patients at different hospitals? Did you know that he actually spent two weeks locked up in one – trying to understand their thought processes and motivations. Then, during filming, he had to live the part – staying in character between the scenes so he didn't lose his concentration. A role like that gets in your head - messes with you. But, that's not what the tabloids write about. They don't care how much of yourself you lose making a movie like that. They just want the sensationalism of two brothers fighting." Finished, Jordan started to turn away, then changed his mind and shot back at Don, "Hell, maybe they should do a movie about the two of you."

Don wouldn't budge. "You can't deny you two have issues, that... "

"If anyone has issues it's me. I let all that crap get to me ... and ... and I knew better."

Jordan was the picture of misery as he turned toward his brother. "I'm sorry. I listened to all those idiots telling me I was cheated – that I should have won. They were wrong, Alex – I was wrong. You deserved that Oscar." He shook his head, despair showing heavily in his expression. "I should have never let it get this far."

Alex Boudine swallowed once, sighing deeply with relief, then smiled tentatively. "You never were one to do things half way, Jordan. I've always admired that about you."

Jordan threw his arm around his brother's shoulder and gave him a small squeeze. "We okay, squirt?"

Alex nodded, smiling. "Yeah, sure we are, but," he turned suddenly to Don and Charlie, who were watching the brothers, "you two." he spat out. "You may be top dog FBI agent," he said to Don, "and you may be a world-class mathematician," he added to Charlie, "but let me tell you something – you both have a lot to learn about being a good brother."

The Boudines turned then and quickly finished packing their equipment. They shrugged their backpacks on over their shoulders, walked past the Eppes and started up the trail.

Both Don and Charlie stood silently, blinking in confusion, wondering what had just happened. _Not exactly how we had it planned, _Don thought_, but, at least it worked. _And then, Charlie smiled, mischievously, childishly, conspiratorially. He dropped the tenor of his voice, talking in his best announcer vocalization, "And the award for 'Best Obnoxious FBI Agent, Using His Most Outrageous Interrogation Techniques To Get The Clueless Older Brother To Admit The Truth' goes to Special Agent Don Eppes!"

The said awardee returned the grin and added. "And for Best Supporting Role as Angst-filled, Arrogant, Genius Younger Brother with Seriously Demented Delusions of Grandeur - Dr. Charles Eppes!"

They laughed, executing a perfect high five, then gathered their packs and followed the Boudines.

**tbc**


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: see Prologue**

**Blockbuster**

**~ by MsGrahamCracker ~**

**Chapter Three -**

The trek to Red Mountain Pass was a steady climb that followed the river through a heavily wooded gorge that rose up on both sides nearly 400 feet above the water. The ground, rising up from the river was both precipitous and ladened with boulders and trees of varying sizes. The soil, usually consisting of loose segments of gravel and clay had become saturated with the consistent rain and was now a muddy mess that made walking precarious and tiring.

Following the river on a well-worn path through the gorge, the Eppes and the Boudines became mesmerized by the sound of the rushing water as it ran along the swollen bank, the noise a deterrent to conversation – something the Boudines found somewhat comforting.

Occasionally, Don would offer an agent's insight on different tracking methods or the likelihood of a possible ambush spot - because no matter what else had happened, that was the reason they were all there - but, primarily, the early morning hours passed with only the sounds of nature. They stopped after a few hours for a brief break. Jordan and Alex immediately headed for a large boulder that had a smooth flat surface that was large enough for the two of them to sit together, away from the Eppes brothers.

Don relaxed, resting against a large tree trunk while Charlie knelt at the river bank and studied the rushing water.

It had been hard – this plan of action he and Charlie had decided on. That Reeves Variation comment, even though they had planned it, had been like a punch in the solar plexus, just as he imagined his remark accusing his brother of being narcissistic and arrogant had been. Looking across the clearing to Jordan and Alex, sitting together, talking, enjoying one another again, Don decided it had been worth it. Yesterday morning, they couldn't even ride in the same car. Just a few hours ago, Jordan had staunchly defended his brother, precipitating an incredulous, hopeful and relieved expression on the younger man's face. Don was sure their relationship was still tentative, but, at least they were talking. It was a start and he ...

"Don!" Don started at the sound of Charlie's voice, urgent and obviously distressed. He stood up quickly and join his brother at the river's edge. Don noticed his brother had been scratching in the dirt - symbols, numbers, equations - never a good sign.

"What's up?"

Charlie had stood up when Don drew close and he turned to his brother. Don was instantly taken aback by the anxiety masking the younger man's face. Charlie's mouth was open to accommodate his rapid breathing, his chest heaving with every breath, and a deep furrow split his forehead. He reached forward with shaky hands and grabbed Don's wrist, pulling him away from the river bank.

"Don ... there's ... We need to ..."

Don reached forward and placed his hand over his brother's and applied just enough force to stop Charlie's movement away from the water. "Relax now, calm down."

Charlie shook his head vigorously, his curls swinging with the movement. "No, there's no time...we need to get out of here – now."

"What are you talking about?"

"The signs are all here, Don." Charlie was exasperated at Don's concerned but clueless expression. He leaned forward, as if his proximity would make things clearer. "Cal-Sci did a linear discriminant function here just last year in conjunction with the National Forest Service and ..."

"Charlie."

Frustrated that Don wasn't grasping the serious of the situation, Charlie gave in to the overwhelming urge to explain in detail. "I just did a probabilistic analysis - right now - taking into account estimation uncertainties and spatial variability of geological parameters and then I ran a Newmark slope stability model using rainfall values and topographic elements defined by contours and flow patterns where ... "

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, Charlie." Don stopped his brother's rambling. "What's going on? In English."

Charlie took a deep breath and pointed across the river. "Don, look, see that bulge at the bottom of that ridge over there?"

Don saw the mysterious lumpy protrusion where the ground started it's upward slope. "Yeah, that looks weird – kind of like a cyst or a mole, huh?" he muttered. "What is it?"

"It's the under layer of the soil and it's slipping – building up underneath the surface, not unlike a cyst, really." Charlie had slid unconsciously into his teaching mode, but his voice was higher, edgier than usual. "See those trees over there?"

Following his brother's direction, Don squinted, studying the stand of pines that covered the western slope. Several of them, he noticed, were actually leaning over, tilting towards the ground. "What the hell...?"

"It's the rain, Don." Charlie explained, calmer now, as if he knew his placidity would be more effective. "The angle of that steep slope has to be at least 80 percent. The trees look young, with no stabilizing roots to speak of. There's not enough ground cover to ... There's nothing to stop ..." He swallowed hard. "Don, there's going to be a landslide here, and it's going to happen real soon."

As irritating as it could be sometimes, Don knew that Charlie usually knew what he was talking about. He believed him. "Alright – alright," he murmured slowly, though his mind was processing the information at lightening speed. He reached forward, holding Charlie's arm, not sure if he were steadying his brother or himself. As he searched the surrounding area for escape routes, he was glad to see Jordan and Alex approaching, twin expressions of confusion on their faces.

"What's going on?"

Instead of answering them, Don set his lips and nodded his head once at Charlie. Charlie, calmer now, returned the nod. It was as if they had communicated – that a decision had been made, a plan of action decided on. As Charlie reached behind him and picked up his backpack, Don spoke urgently to Jordan and Alex. "Get your backpacks! Bring them here." Puzzled, they hesitated.

"Now!" The sharp command made both Boudines jump and run off for their packs. When they returned, they were shocked to see Don and Charlie both emptying the contents of their packs onto the ground.

"Dump them." Don said with a nod toward their packs."Save only the water. You got ropes, right?"

"What the hell is going on here? What are you doing?" Jordan demanded.

Don grabbed Jordan's pack from him and unzipped it, then turned it upside down. "There's gonna be a landslide. We have to move fast. We need to lighten the load."

"What? How do you know there's gonna be ... "

"Charlie's math says so."

Jordan and Alex exchanged similar bewildered and exasperated expressions. "Wait a minute!" Jordan exclaimed. "You haven't had anything constructive, or even nice, to say about your brother's math this entire trip. And now you want us to just up and leave everything here because he says there's gonna be a ... a what?"

"A landslide?" Alex asked, skeptically, then added, "Seriously, why should we listen to you now?"

Don growled, low and frustrated. He knew how this looked to the Boudines, but, dammit, he didn't have time to explain everything now. Charlie's shrug told him he didn't have an answer, either, so Don fell back to the only thing he knew, what he was familiar with, what he was good at. With the unmistakable sound of authority, he barked, "Just do it!"

Despite their initial protest, both Jordan and Alex reluctantly responded to the tone of Don's voice and Alex dumped his backpack.

There were five bottles of water between them and Don handed them all to Charlie, who put two in his pack and three in Don's. Charlie also added several energy bars, but left everything else on the ground.

"So there's gonna be a landslide." Alex accepted. "Can't we just, you know, get out of the area?"

Don shook loose the two lengths of rope the Boudines had in their packs and answered Alex as he looped one of the ropes and began tying a knot in it. "The river's nearly overflowing it's banks already. If there is a landslide over there," he indicated the area across the river, where he noticed with growing alarm two of the trees that had been leaning before were now completely flat on the ground, "it's going to fall into the river and this whole area will be flooded. We won't stand a chance. We have to get higher."

Finally grasping the situation, Jordan and Alex looked around, dismayed to see "higher" could only mean the precipitous rise behind them – a steep upward slope of two hundred feet or so of mud, trees and boulders. At the top of the slope there was a ledge that ran the entire length of the ridge, and rising straight up from that was another two hundred feet of sheer granite rock.

"If we can get to that ledge, we might be alright." Don was saying as he looped the other rope. He glanced at Charlie, seeing that his brother had already looped the other two lengths of rope.

"Jordan," Don handed off one of the ropes to the actor. "Here, you be the lead climb. As soon as you can, secure the rope on ..." He stopped at the look of panic on Jordan's face.

The man was shaking his head, his eyes wide and frightened. "I've never ... "

Don frowned, nonplussed. "You didn't do any training for that rock climbing sequence in your last movie?"

Jordan swallowed and cast his eyes down, embarrassed. "Stuntman." he mumbled.

A look towards a similarly abashed Alex told Don he and Charlie were the only experienced climbers. Since he had every intention of being the last one up, that left Charlie as the lead climb – something Don was not pleased about. Typically, without the necessary climbing equipment, the lead climber would have to have the physical attributes to make the climb freehanded, and the strength and agility to prevent the entire group from falling if someone misstepped. Physically, Jordan and Alex were both better suited than Charlie.

"I can do it, Don." Charlie's voice was firm and resolute, unlike Don's when he stepped closer to his brother and said quietly, "Charlie, if one of us falls ... "

Charlie only nodded, reaching for one of the ropes. "I can do it," he repeated.

Resigned, but clearly not happy, Don reached for one of the ropes and approached Jordan. As he helped the young actor tie the rope around his waist they listened to Charlie as he assisted Alex. "Keep this rope around your waist. It's the center of balance for you. Don't worry, climbing is basically nothing more than applied physics. Grace, balance, rhythm, concentration, and flexibility; all of that counts as much as strength or experience."

Finished with Jordan's rope, Don looked up at him. In contrast to Charlie's somewhat comforting instructions, Don kept his comments sharp, concise and stern, punctuating each word with a finger in front of Jordan's face. "You follow in Charlie's steps – use the same hand holds – put your feet in the same place." To Alex, he said succinctly, "Follow Jordan."

When each of them had ropes secured around their waists, Don and Charlie tied the remaining ends to one of the other's rope; Jordan's to Charlie's, Alex's to Jordan's and Don's to Alex's. Charlie would be the first to scale the incline, followed by Jordan, then Alex, then Don.

Wi**t**h one last nod at Don, Charlie turned towards the slope and reached forward for his first handhold. There was a loud rumble and Charlie hesitated, but Don's voice, loud and commanding over the noise, encouraged him. "Go on, Charlie! Hurry!"

With blind, trusting compliance, Charlie scrambled forward, using exposed tree roots and solid boulders to pull himself up and avoiding the smaller rocks and young trees which could easily break loose in the mud. Jordan stumbled up behind him while Alex waited, watching where they placed their hands and what they used to push off with their feet.

A sudden deafening crack reverberated through the canyon and Alex, just beginning his ascent, froze and turned around.

"Don't look!" Don yelled, desperately. "Go! Go! Go!"

An enormous section of rock face on the opposite side of the river had ruptured, breaking completely away from the granite ridge. It hit the downward slope, still saturated from last night's rain, with a thunderous explosion, and gravity did the rest. The mass plummeted downhill, increasing in size as it dragged uprooted trees and boulders with it. It surged forward, it's sheer size and strength destroying the hillside in seconds, then slid, unencumbered, over the river bank and into the rushing water. The massive landslide hit the already swollen river with such tremendous force, the water surged into the air, like a monstrous geyser, overflowing it's banks and flooding the surrounding area instantly.

Panicked at the sight of the whirlwind of water and debris, Alex moved up the slope quickly, heedless of the path Charlie and Jordan were paving.

The water, filled with the detritus of the canyon, swirled around Don's ankles as he climbed up behind Alex. The force was unbelievable, unexpected, and it pulled at Don's legs with such power his shoulder muscles burned with the effort of holding onto the slope. He had to get out of it. Gritting his teeth, he pulled himself up and away from the rushing mass, using whatever he could find as hand holds along the hillside. He noticed, with considerable alarm, that the flood level was increasing nearly as fast as was climbing.

The noise was both deafening and terrifying. Charlie, nearly one third of the way to the ridge already, climbed as fast as he could, taking the needed seconds to make sure of every move he made, knowing a misstep by any of them at this point could be disastrous. He risked a look over his shoulder and saw Don struggling to stay ahead of the water and he nearly faltered, but, he set his jaw and reached for the next tree. He had to get to the ridge. If he could just get there, maybe he could ...

Then, Alex slipped.

The young actor reached out frantically for something to grab onto, a young sapling, but the roots gave way easily in the softened soil, and he plummeted down the slope – directly towards Don.

tbc


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: See Prologue**

**Blockbuster**

**~ byMsGrahamCracker ~**

**Chapter Four**

Alex Boudine slid down the muddy slope, his arms flailing out frantically in search of something to grab onto, but there were only loose rocks and small bushes within his reach. He came to an abrupt and jarring stop when his right foot slammed down onto Don's shoulder, dislodging the agent's hold on the slope.

Don cried out in pain, but the sound was swallowed in the tumultuous roar of the landslide. He slid several feet, his back scraping over the rocks and dirt, until he found himself engulfed by a large sticky bush that stopped his downward plunge, but rebelled against his sudden intrusion by leaving a multitude of sharp barbs in his skin. Reflectively he struggled against the thorns and slid from the bush's hold, managing to grab onto the thick base at the last moment. He hung, one-handed above the seething torrent for a few terrifying seconds before his weight ripped the angry bush from the hillside and he slid down the slope directly into the maelstrom. He went completely under, the swirling, dirty water filling his nose and mouth instantly. The swift current immediately pulled him away and he fought desperately against it, trying to hold his head above the water.

Suddenly, his lifeline, attached to Alex, went rigid and Don's body was jerked to a standstill, forcing the rushing water to slam into him full force, then split and curl around him. Gritting his teeth against the pain, he grabbed onto the rope and used it to slowly pulled himself towards the edge of the hillside, where the current was not as strong. Scrambling for purchase, he dragged himself from the water, slipping and sliding on the wet stones. He stumbled forward, his foot skidding into the mud and he fell, striking his head on a large rock. Dazed and breathless, he clung to the rope and prayed Charlie would know what to do.

Alex, meanwhile, had managed to grab onto an large exposed tree root to halt his slide and was holding onto it desperately with both hands. He saw Don hit the water and disappear beneath it, then resurface, just to be carried away in the current. He knew the lifeline between them would eventually stop the agent and he tried to brace himself against the expected pull, but was still shocked when the line went taut and tried to jerk him away from his hold on the tree. The pressure around his waist was nearly unbearable, but he knew if he didn't hold on, the combined pull of both of them would drag Jordan and maybe Charlie down, as well. When his hands began to slip on the wet surface, Alex panicked. He looked up at Jordan, still studiously following Charlie's trail, and cried out, "Jordan! Help me!"

Jordan Boudine froze, mid-step, when he heard Alex's cry and he steadied himself with a solid hold on the slope. He looked down and saw his brother clinging to the tree root, the rope at his waist stretched tight and jerking erratically as Don struggled to climb out of the water. Panic-stricken, Jordan looked up, towards Charlie, and saw that the mathematician had reached the rim of the ridge and was pulling himself over.

Charlie Eppes was not aware of the drama occurring below him. He had just pulled himself up to the level ground and was looking for a likely spot to secure the rope when he heard Alex's cry - and his heart plummeted. If Alex was in trouble, so was Don. He took a deep breath and looked around.

It took him 6 precious seconds to calculate which of the many trees dotting the ledge was strong enough to hold three men's weight, if necessary, and which one of those was close enough to the edge to give Jordan enough rope to work with. He ran to the large pine he'd selected and quickly wrapped the rope around the huge trunk. He wrapped the rope around both of his forearms and pulled the slack between him and the tree taut, then anchored his feet as deeply as he could into the ground for more support. "Jordan!" he yelled as loud as he could and prayed the actor would hear him and understand. "The rope's secured! Help them!"

Jordan saw that Don had managed to free himself from the water, but he could also see the level of the flood was rising rapidly, moving up the hill at an alarming rate. Don was climbing on his own now, trying to stay ahead of the surge, the lifeline between him and Alex slack and limp. Alex was still struggling to maintain his grip on the tree root, but Jordan could see his brother was growing weaker. Testing the amount of slack rope Charlie had given him, Jordan took a deep breath and began inching his way back down towards his brother, while simultaneously, Don climbed up toward Alex's position.

By the time he reached Alex, Don was already there, on the other side, urging the younger Boudine to start climbing again, his voice calm but insistent above the roar. "I'm right here. You need to let go. We have to move." Jordan saw the panicked look in his brother's eyes and his white-knuckled hold on the tree. Don had one hand on Alex's forearm and was urging him to start climbing again. Obviously, Alex was too afraid to let go.

Jordan slid over towards them, hoping to convince his brother to get moving, when the ground beneath him suddenly dropped away, and he found himself hanging in mid-air, with nothing but the raging deluge beneath him.

Seeing Jordan swing free of the hillside, hanging helplessly in mid-air, Don moved quickly. Allowing himself a quick,_ 'atta boy, Charlie,_ as he maneuvered his way around the still frozen Alex, Don reached out with one arm and grabbed the denim leg of Jordan's designer jeans. He pulled him back towards the slope, guiding him towards a large boulder, where the actor was able to get a firm hold again.

"Get back to the top!" Adding emphasis to his words, Don once again grabbed a handful of denim - the seat of Jordan's pants - and pushed him up towards the ledge. Once the actor started a shaky but brisk climb, Don returned to Alex. "We have to get out of here, now! Get moving!"

Alex finally uncurled his fingers from the root and started to climb behind his brother.

Jordan was there, hanging over the side of the ledge when Alex got to the top. He reached over and pulled his brother to safety, then the two of them immediately turned and helped Don over onto the ledge.

It took Don a few seconds to catch his breath, then he pushed himself shakily to his feet. He was dizzy, lightheaded, and he staggered backwards a few steps when Charlie flew at him.

"Don, you're hurt!" His brother's hand hovered just short of the gash on his forehead, and his eyes tracked down Don's body, anxiously taking in the bruises and cuts.

Don waved him off. "I'm okay, Charlie." When Charlie stiffened and opened his mouth to state the obvious, Don shook his head and repeated, firmly, sharply. "I'm okay. Right now we have other things to worry about. This ledge isn't going to hold. The slope's stability is being compromised and the whole thing's going to collapse." Once again, he looked around, gauging their options, and turned grim-faced to the other three. "We have to get out of here."

As one, they all looked up, surveying the nearly 200 feet of sheer, exposed granite, rising straight and smooth towards the sky.

"I could ..." Charlie began, but Don cut him off.

"No." he said, firmly. "We don't have the right equipment for that kind of ascent."

The ground beneath them trembled as the raging mass of water attacked the hill below them, dissolving the baseline. The recently climbed slope began to deteriorate under the onslaught and began to slide into the seething, violent deluge.

Then he saw it. A fissure. A thin crevice cut into the wall of granite nearly 20 yards away. It was narrow – maybe too narrow – but, Don couldn't see any other options. If they were lucky, it would go straight through the granite and open up on the other side. If it didn't ...

Charlie saw it at the same time and before Don could utter a word, Charlie was running, dragging Alex along with him. "Come on!"

Dropping his backpack to the ground, Charlie squeezed in first, turning sideways to do so, and peered ahead as far as he could into the crevice. It remained narrow for several feet, then opened up a little wider further in. He couldn't see an exit, but it wasn't completely dark, which gave him hope there was an opening somewhere close.

"It's tight," he reported to Don, "but I think we can do it. I don't see the end, but, there's light."

Don nodded grimly, agreeing with his brother's unspoken assessment that it was their only choice and he watched breathlessly as Charlie started in, praying he was right about an exit, knowing they would all die horribly in that tight space if there wasn't.

Charlie moved as quickly as he could through the narrow passage, his shoulders scraping the side of the rock. He could feel Alex's breath on the back of his neck and he hoped Jordan and Don were close behind, as well. He knew, without saying, that Don would let Jordan follow Alex, and that meant, if the water surged into the crevice after them, Don would be the first to die. Charlie picked up his pace.

It seemed to go on and on and Charlie calculated they must be nearly 100 feet in when he heard the horrifying sound of the raging water forcing itself into the fissure behind them. Just then, 20 feet or so ahead, he saw the opening – their salvation – and he cried out in relief. "Hurry! We're almost there!"

The four of them burst out of the crevice at the same instant the water caught up to them. Charlie and Alex were able to get out of it's way, but Jordan and Don were thrown to the ground by the violent spray of water.

And then, eerily, it was all over. Either the flooding had run it's course, or debris had blocked the tunnel, preventing any more spillage.

Jordan stood up, shakily, gaping at Charlie, as though the mathematician had two heads. "That ... that was ... how ... I mean ... did you ... how the hell did you know there was going to be a landslide?"

Charlie walked over to where his brother was still sprawled out, lying in several inches of water. As he offered Don a hand up, he answered, wryly, "As fascinating a subject as linear discriminant function is, I feel an in-depth explanation at this time would be less than effective nor appreciated."

Don chuckled, grabbed Charlie's hand and rose slowly, rotating his bruised shoulder and flexing a few sore and overused muscles. "Your right about that, buddy." He grimaced slightly as he touched his forehead, but shook it off when he saw the bleeding had stopped.

Don reached forward and squeezed his brother's shoulder affectionately. "You did good, Charlie." he said quietly, then louder, "I don't know about the rest of you, but I'm ready to call it quits and head for home."

They all agreed heartily and started down the opposite side of the slope.

Bone weary, they made it back to the trail head a few hours earlier than planned. Neither Jordan or Alex's drivers were there, of course, and Don offered to take them both home. Too tired to wait they climbed into the back seat of Don's SUV.

Jordan's house was closer and Don pulled into the drive less than an hour later. Unexpectedly, Alex got out of the vehicle along with his brother. "It's alright." he replied to Don's questioning look. "I'll just call for my driver later."

Don and Charlie each exited the SUV and shook hands with Jordan and Alex.

"I don't know what to say, man," Jordan started. "I mean things were pretty scary for a while there, but you two really pulled it together and saved us all."

"Yeah," Alex said, "it was quite an adventure - the ultimate action scene, you know?"

"Just like in the movies." Don laughed.

"Speaking of," Jordan remembered, "thanks for all the help on our characters and stuff. I know it's really going to help us."

"No problem." Don said and Charlie smiled. "Good luck with the movie."

The Boudines turned then and walked up the winding walkway towards the front entrance of Jordan's elaborate movie-star home. Don and Charlie climbed back into the SUV and just before Charlie closed his door, they heard the Boudine's voices - clear in the quiet, exclusive neighborhood. "Nice guys and they really do work well together. It's too bad they fight all the time."

"Yeah, it's a real shame. Hey, you want to just crash here tonight? We have that meeting at the studio in the morning - we can just leave from here. Besides, we can go through some scenes together. I've got a few ideas I'd like to run by Martin."

~ N3N3N3 ~

several weeks later ...

The morning had started out with a bang, so to speak, with an armed bank robbery in which shots were fired from both SWAT and the robbers. Already frustrated that the perps had escaped, Don and the team had to wait for forensics to be completed before they could proceed with the investigation. They were also waiting for DNA results on a triple murder before they could arrest the prime suspect, and a reluctant judge was dragging his feet on a warrant to search the property of a high profile politician who might have been involved with organized crime. Not one to waste time, Don had the team spending the "down time" going through a stack of cold cases. Charlie had just arrived, dropping off some old case files, and they were all huddled at David Sinclair's desk, reviewing evidence in a year old gang related murder when Don looked up and saw Wright exit the elevator and head towards the bull pen.

"A moment, Agent Eppes, Professor," the supervisor said, brusquely, and turned towards the conference room. Quietly, Don and Charlie followed.

Wright closed the door behind them. "I wanted to thank you both for your help with the Boudines last month. I talked to my nephew last night. He's been very pleased with the dailies on the movie. Seems like they have been very easy to work with – even sharing a double trailer and helping each other study lines."

Don smiled. "That's good to hear. They're both nice young men."

"And I appreciate your silence on the matter. Personal or family matters don't belong in the office and I'm grateful that you and Dr. Eppes didn't tell anyone else . . . about . . . well, thank you.

Don simply nodded and Charlie grinned in response.

"All indications are that the movie will be a huge success and my sister actually has hope of reclaiming her basement."

Don would have smiled at the comment, but Wright's expression changed and his mood suddenly became somber.

"Don," Wright started and Don braced himself - the director rarely called him by his first name. "I've heard the rumors that you and your brother were not especially close before he began to consult for the bureau. I hope I have not inadvertently caused problems."

"Sir?"

"Martin says the Boudines can not stop talking about the discord and arguments between the two of you. They're surprised you can even work together for more than ten minutes. I know better, agent. What happened?"

Don relaxed and Charlie actually chuckled quietly. After a quick glance at each other, Charlie motioned for Don to answer.

"It's true, Charlie and I have had our problems, especially during high school. Our dad says our junior year was almost impossible to be around us – we could hardly be in the same room without picking at each other. Anyway, our parents couldn't take it anymore and loaded us up in the family car and headed to the nearest campground for a family weekend. It was the worst two days I've ever spent. Not because of Charlie. Mom and Dad argued the whole time – couldn't agree on anything. It was horrible. Charlie and I stayed pretty much together and went out of our way to be good and get along– you know, not causing any more tension. When we got back home our parents sat us in the living room and asked us how we liked our weekend. Charlie was young enough to be brutally honest and he told them how much he hated them arguing. Dad laughed and said, "Good, it serves you right." They told us then they had done it on purpose – to show us how hard it was for them to be around us when we were quarreling all the time."

"I see." Wright smiled, understanding. "So all of the bickering was just an act for the Boudines."

Don shrugged. "It's human nature to bond together in periods of strife and uncertainty. Charlie and I provided the strife, they did the rest. We really just gave them the opportunity to rediscover what they always had."

Charlie stepped forward. "Plus, we figured if they were anything like Don and I growing up – well, it's just that Don could never understand where I was or what I was thinking, and that often lead to arguments and the occasional fight, but he was always my staunchest supporter and defender. He always had my back."

"So, it was one thing if Jordan spoke critically about his own brother, but, no one else was allowed to." Wright said, his eyes distant and unreadable, and Don found himself wondering if the director himself had grown up with a male sibling or two.

"Charlie and I wasted a lot of time between egos and misunderstandings and jealousy. We hoped we could show Jordan and Alex how foolish it is to let that kind of stuff fester."

"And," Charlie added with a lop-sided, self-satisfied smile, "at the same time we helped them with the movie."

Wright studied the two men before him for a moment, then changed direction. "From what Martin says, the whole thing was quite paradoxical. Jordan and Alex have told him that the two of you were, and I quote Martin here,_ 'cohesive, trusting, steadfast and heroic'_ during your encounter with the landslide – but, you were also, in Martin's words again, '_petty, childish, argumentative, combative and, at times, impertinent and pretentious_.' Would you say that was a fair assessment?"

To his credit, Charlie turned away**, **looking sheepish and embarrassed, but Don maintained eye contact with his supervisor, showing no remorse or regret. "It would appear so, director," he admitted, easily.

"Well, that's quite an act, agent. Maybe your true potential lies in undercover work."

Wright turned to Charlie. "And you, Dr. Eppes. Are you adding something new to your already impressive list of accomplishments – holder of several doctorates, esteemed professor, valued consultant, and now, that of an actor?"

Charlie shrugged, dismissively. "Maybe we get it from our Mom." he smiled, wistfully. "I think there's a little actor in all lawyers."

"Well, whatever it was, I must say, well done, and thanks to you, it looks like my nephew's blockbuster will be ... " He stopped, and a bemused expression appeared on his face. "Interesting," he said, "but, it just occurred to me that there are two different definitions of that word, blockbuster; one, a large, high explosive bomb for demolition purposes - which in a broader spectrum could be construed as the landslide you were fortunate and talented enough to escape from; and two, a highly successful novel or motion picture." He stepped forward, offering his hand first to Don, then Charlie. As they shook hands, the director smiled and said, "It would appear, gentlemen, that your performances may well be the stuff this years blockbuster, whichever it is, is made of."

**The end**

**Please come back again tomorrow for the epilogue.**


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: see Prologue**

**A/N:This was a really fun adventure. It's nice to see so many people still enjoying Numb3rs stories. Thanks to all of those who read this and a special thanks to those who took the time to let me know what they thought of it. As long as there are readers who enjoy the stories, let's keep writing them.**

**And, now, the rest of the story**

**Blockbuster**

**~ by MsGrahamCracker ~**

**Epilogue -**

Martin had sent complimentary tickets to Don and Charlie for the star-studded July 4th premier of "Field Trip", but Charlie was speaking at a math symposium in San Fransisco and Don and the team were staking out a suspected meth house. Three weeks later when the meth lab was dismantled and the drug dealer was in jail working on a plea bargain, and Charlie had a few weeks before fall classes started, they stood in line at the theater with David, Colby, Liz and Nikki.

The summer blockbuster had already broken all existing attendance records and the theater was nearly packed. After a lengthy and expensive stop at the concession counter they found an unoccupied row in the back and sat down.

Colby Granger balanced his jumbo barrel of popcorn on his lap and deftly blocked Nikki's attempt to liberate a handful of the buttery snack. "The critics say this is the best action film since "Die Hard", some even said it's better."

David, who had managed to squeeze in a late date earlier that week with a woman in data entry and had already seen the movie, nodded and spoke around the popcorn in his mouth. "They're right. It not only has the best action scenes, it's one of the most realistic "cop shows" I've ever seen."

"The internet is buzzing about Oscar nods for both Boudines," Liz added, offering Nikki some of her popcorn.

"They deserve it." David said. "I've seen their other movies and this one just blows you away with the amount of insight and depth they bring to their characters."

Shifting his barrel of popcorn to one side, Colby reached for the drink in the cup holder attached to his seat. "It's not too often you get a good action film with any degree of realism. I read where they changed the script quite a bit at the eleventh hour with lots of rewrites and new scenes, trying for more action and a more believable storyline."

"I read in People that they're getting along better – even double dating with two of those actresses on that new medical drama." Nikki sighed.

"I don't know how they get along in real life," David laughed. "and, frankly I don't care, but they work together like . . . well, like Don and Charlie do, even though in the movie, the two main characters - the agent and the math teacher - fight all the time."

Don and Charlie glanced at each other, wondering.

David took a sip of his soda and turned to Colby, sitting beside him. "Some of the scenes, man, are so real it's as if they shadowed us, watched us work and then put it into the movie."

Don was suddenly interested. "What do you mean?"

"You've got the best instincts I've ever seen, Don, and the way Jordan Boudine plays the agent in this movie is just like that. He's sharp, knows what's going on around him, always ready for an ambush. He utilizes real tracking methods and techniques, the same ones we use, like the pursuit evasion model you and Charlie teach the newbies. I swear they use Charlie's overlapping search thing, too, you know, the Reeves Variation, to find the terrorist, and there's this great scene when the math teacher actually predicts a landslide just before it happened using this, um, lin...linear..."

"Linear discriminant function." Charlie said quietly, his eyes trailing to Don's, sending a silent _"Are you thinking the same thing I'm thinking?"_ look.

Don suddenly remembered Jordan's _"I've got a few ideas I'd like to run by Martin_._"_ and nearly laughed out loud.

"Yeah, yeah, that's it, discriminant function."David paused and peered intently at the young professor**. "**Some of his insights into the dynamics of terrorists cells sounded very familiar, too. You're not holding out on us, are you Charlie? Been consulting for Hollywood?"

The lights in the theater dimmed and Charlie settled back in his seat, saved from having to answer.

Forty eight minutes later Don felt the familiar vibration of the phone on his hip. "Eppes" he answered quietly, barely above a whisper, but five sets of eyes turned to him. "Yeah. Alright. We're leaving now. We'll coordinate with the NTSB and Homeland on sight."

"Small plane crash in the foothills." he said quietly as he closed his phone and slid it into it's holder. Everyone stood up silently, gathering their treats and wrappers. "Went down with two top names on Homeland's watch list and a stash of weapons," he continued as they maneuvered out of the row of seats and headed for the lobby.

As the others went through the doorway, Don stopped and turned back to his brother who had followed them. "Aw, Charlie. Stay and watch the movie. You can get a cab home."

Charlie grinned and shrugged. "That's alright. I prefer real life drama. I'll tag along, if that's alright. A plane crash offers complex dynamic problems, such as debris field variations and classical mechanics. Maybe I can help." As they left the darkness of the theater and entered the brightly lit lobby, Charlie added, cheekily, "In a supporting role, of course."

Don laughed, unwrapping a stick of gum and popping it into his mouth. Walking across the lobby towards the exit, Don casually turned to his brother and slid the package of gum towards him, offering him a piece.

Charlie hesitated, looking up at his brother, his brow wrinkled, his expression uncertain and cautious, but hopeful. Don's grin, however, was inviting, sure and somewhat challenging.

Swallowing back the lump in his throat at this unexpected and unprecedented gesture, Charlie raised his head and returned his brother's challenge with one of his own. "Spearmint." he said, reaching forward confidently and removing a stick from the package. "Is that all you got?"

Don pushed the theater doors opened and they walked outside. "Well, it won't win any awards, bro, but it will do the job."

Chewing with gusto, Charlie agreed and climbed into the SUV beside his brother.

**The end**


End file.
